My son thoroughly enjoyed his primary school prom.  It was a nice highlight to end an era before moving onto secondary school.  It was a milestone that also marked him moving a small step closer to adulthood.  Primary school was a happy time for him, and it was a lovely moment watching all the children bask in the fuss and attention of a special event just for them.

Document The Moment

Make sure you take LOTS of photographs, these you will cherish as much as your wedding photos.  I love looking back at how smart my son looked, he enjoys the Apprentice so wanted to look the part, down to a little spotty handkerchief!  He suggested getting his prom date a bouquet of flowers which pleased his date no end.  I love how big his heart is, how important to him that she was happy.  I have the cutest picture of the pair of them, but I won’t share that here.

Not Sure Where To Start

Here are some tips to help you choose your prom dress as I think it’s harder shopping for girls.  The boys were mainly in suits, but some wore a posh shirt and shorts.  But there seemed more pressure on the girls, they spent hours choosing the most perfect dress for the occasion.  Although my youngest son has a girl in his class that plans to arrive in leggings!  Good for her I say if they are happy in the moment does it really matter what they wear!  I would rather it was an inclusive event!

Worrying About The Cost?

I accept that it can be very expensive for parents, we had the cost of a new suit, shoes, food for the buffet and a bouquet of flowers for his date.  But some parents seem to like to go that bit further, such as hiring limousines or expensive sports cars so their child can make a grand entrance at their prom.  Just a quick search online and you can see the lengths some parents go too, children arriving in more and more elaborate ways.  By camel-back, helicopter ride or even tank!  It does mean some children might feel a bit deflated if they can’t have the same.

However, it’s not financially feasible for everyone to do the same for their own children, as much as they may want too.  The most important thing is to remain upbeat and positive, you set the mood for your own children.  Just be excited for what you can offer them, and they won’t go looking for negatives.

I heard from parents of girls that they found the prom pricier, factoring in the cost of makeup, a fancy hairdo and booking to have their nails done.  If you have talented friends that can help it might be worth getting them on-board to save on the costs of hiring a professional.  Or watch YouTube tutorials and master the techniques yourself.  Anything that you can do to take away some of the stress of wondering how you will afford everything.

Don’t Make Excuses

Many of his friends didn’t take a date and that was okay too.  Don’t find excuses to miss your prom, you might regret it in the future otherwise.  Sadly none of us have a travelling machine for a do-over if we change our mind after the prom has passed.  So have an amazing time with friends, just soaking up the atmosphere and preserving it to your memory banks!

Pitch In And Help

See if you need to do anything in advance to help the prom go smoothly!  I helped set up the room which you can see in my earlier post about saying goodbye to primary school.  It’s a team effort making it a big occasion, so do pitch in and help!  I wasn’t there during the event itself as it was his chance to relax and be independent.  I didn’t want to cramp his style.  It’s there chance to shine.